Shohei Ohtani News: Dodgers superstar currently not facing disciplinary action from MLB amid Ippei Mizuhara situation

Shohei Ohtani has been the source of a plethora of headlines this offseason, including his free agency move to the LA Dodgers, his incredible contract and his marriage. Now, there is another storyline surrounding the Japanese superstar, which comes as he is in Seoul, South Korea for the Dodgers' first two games of the 2024 MLB season.

LA defeated the San Diego Padres 5-2 on Wednesday, but before their game on Thursday, news broke that his longtime interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, had been fired. This is due to his alleged involvement in illegal gambling, and the situation is being investigated by authorities.

At the time of writing, it appears Ohtani is not facing any action from the MLB: The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya took to X to report:

"The latest on the Shohei Ohtani-Ippei Mizuhara saga: Ohtani is not currently facing discipline, according to an MLB official, nor is he believed to be under active investigation by the league."

Shohei Ohtani's translator Ippei Mizuhara accused of stealing from the superstar

Ippei Mizuhara was present at Wednesday's game against the San Diego Padres, and was seen laughing with Shohei Ohtani, who also seemed to be in good spirits.

The Los Angeles Times inquired into Ohtani after his name surfaced in an investigation of Matthew Bowyer of Orange County. The Times reports that Mizuhara placed bets with Bowyer, which violates the MLB's gambling policy.

Mizuhara first said that Ohtani transferred funds to cover his debts of roughly $4.5 million. He then changed his story on Wednesday, telling ESPN that he was ready to face consequences.

Ohtani's legal representatives, Berk Brettler LLP, have accused Mizuhara of stealing funds from the superstar to place bets. They released the following statement:

“In the course of responding to recent media inquiries, we discovered that Shohei has been the victim of a massive theft, and we are turning the matter over to the authorities."

A quick team meeting ensued on Thursday, where Mizuhara is said to have given a briefing on his dismissal. Comments are at a minimum at the present, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts telling reporters:

“Anything with that, the meeting,” Roberts said on Thursday, “I can’t comment.”

In the meantime, Will Ireton will likely fill in the role of translator for Ohtani. Ireton is the Dodgers' manager of performance operations and was Kenta Maed's translator during his time in LA.